Monday, 26 May 2014

All Lined Up Tour: Cora Carmack's Playlist

As a writer, I get inspiration from everything around me, and music is no exception. I’ve found that I write best with music playing in the background – although this does occasionally also lead to impromptu dance parties when I should be writing. While I was working on All Lined Up, I put together a MASSIVE playlist (seriously, y’all, it was gigantic) of music that “felt” like the story. There were songs for Carson and Dallas and Coach Cole and the Wildcats as a whole….even one or two for Beanie Boy. ;) Since I didn’t want to inundate you with five hours of music, I narrowed the list down to these twelve songs. All of them have something to do with the world of ALU in some way or another. Here’s a little bit more explanation about a few of them:

Wherever This Goes - The Fray “We could slow down Waste away in this town Standing on the sidewalk Watching this parade… ….Cause it feels like I’ve been here forever.”

This song as a whole doesn’t really match the feel of All Lined Up, but I love these few lines. They really speak to the way Dallas feels trapped in her town, her life, her role as the coach’s daughter.

Stuck on You – New Politics “What did I do? To get my mind stuck on you.”

I can just imagine Carson having this song stuck in his head – wondering how he allowed himself to be distracted from the plan and how Dallas managed to squeeze her way into his head and his heart.

I Will Be There - Odessa “If you ever need someone To just love youIf you ever need someone To simply adore you
I will be there.”

And then, of course, once he decides that it’s totally okay to have his mind stuck on Dallas, I can imagine Carson playing this song for her. It’s reassuring and romantic without being sappy or overdone.

The Boys of Fall – Kenny Chesney “It's I got your number, got your back When your back's against the wall You mess with one man, you got us all.”

Of course I had to have a few country songs in here – this is a book about Texas, after all! This song is all about football and the camaraderie of the team. I love this song for the imagery it uses – whenever I listen to it, I can see the team gathered under the “No Easy Days” sign in the locker room while Coach Cole gives a rousing, soul-stirring speech during halftime.

You I Want – Jesse Thomas “I am not one for games I say the things I think I do not want your ring Cause baby tonight, I'm dancing.”

This song is so Dallas, I can’t even handle it. She says exactly what she’s thinking, for better or for worse. And she’s pretty straightforward when it comes to what she wants (especially when what…or who…she wants is Carson).

Roar – Katy Perry “…already brushing off the dust You hear my voice, you hear that sound Like thunder gonna shake the ground.”

At first I included this song on the list just as a funny little nod to Dallas’ balcony scream at the beginning of the book. Then, as I listened and thought about it, it’s actually kind of perfect in describing Dallas’ journey towards standing up for what she wants. I can also imagine Stella blasting it in the dorm room while getting ready for a night out.

I hope you enjoy listening to my All Lined Up playlist, and I’d love to hear what you think! If you were making a playlist to represent the book, what songs would you put on it? Leave your picks in the comments or, if you’re feeling extra creative, make your own playlist on Spotify and share it with me!